The Heart of the Affair
by Autumn Xavier
Summary: Captain Jack Sparrow returns to Tortuga to find he has met his match and that perhaps he has gotten into more than he can handle. Originally a year after COTBP, but since the others came out, this will be scratched and remade with a different plot. XX


Ages had seemed to have past since the Captain last set shore on the island of Tortuga. He had been too enamored by his renewed possession of the Pearl to care about much more of anything else, save for the feel of the saltine sprays of the ocean against his face. The only thing that brought him from his delectation was the diminishing number of supplies and the growing frustration amongst the crew and hence, he had given them a fortnight's leave to shore.  
  
The night was still young and he had only just realized that it had been longer still since he had last felt a woman's touch, aside from the multiple searing slaps he had received upon his last visit to Tortuga, close to a year's passing now. Around him, prostitutes flashed their pale skins and rouged lips, hoping to earn their pay for the night though the Captain found that he had tried most of the women available. No doubt that another drunkard would pass them by and accept their lusty offers, for the port was home to the lowliest of lifeforms, certainly nothing compared to the prestige of Port Royal.  
  
Slowly he found his way to the pub, his haven and salvation. He found that rum best fulfilled his desires much more than the heat of a woman's flesh as they writhe in faked passion to receive a petty fee. The sign hung limply by two chains above a rusted door, the wood appearing so dilapidated that it might give way to the next patron to cross the threshold. The fading painted emblem that once boasted a picture of a busty, smiling woman holding a bouquet between two thin chained and manacled hands. In black paint below the image were the words, the name of the pub; the Faithful Bride.  
  
He hesitated before pushing open the door, gently wrapping his ring-clad fingers against the dark, damp wood. No doubt that two of his favorite women had already received word of his return and were awaiting his arrival to the pub, although he sincerely hoped that they no longer cared for his business or his affections. With a hearty chuckle and a cock of his beaded head, he swung open the doors and swaggered into the pub, his dark eyes taking in his surroundings. A fight had ensued just a few feet from the bar, of which several men were participating and he could only conclude that it was over one of the resident barmaids who had gotten too frisky with most of the patrons as jealousy was apt to do even to the soberest of men. Careful to avoid becoming part of the continuing brawl, the dark pirate wound his way around the fallen chairs and broken tables to a dirty, rackety stool at the bar.  
  
The bartender slowly averted his eyes from the fight to welcome his new patron, smiling as the realization dawned of him of who exactly he was. "Ah, welcome back, matey! I've 'eard some stories 'bout you, Jack Sparrow. Seems you got your ship back, and all," he said, pulling a large tankard from under the counter. He took a ragged cloth from behind his bag and began to wipe some of the dirt from the pewter mug, although the rag itself was extremely filthy and seemed to only add to the grime.  
  
Jack nodded slightly, his eyes turning to the altercation only feet from him. He did not see the four women watching him from across the room, the various colors of their sensual eyes following his every move. Two bore hair of red, although the shades were drastically different as the taller one was more of a darker shade, of a glass of merlot. The dull candlelight danced across the crevices of and curves of her broad face as she leaned closer to the shorter redhead, whispering into her ear. Her light cobalt eyes continued to dart from the suave pirate to the other two girls, who sat huddled close to them to catch every whispered rumor of the Captain.  
  
The shorter woman who was listening to the exchange of stories, on the other hand, had thick, rich hair that would easily rival the brightest cardinal in the skies. She sat quietly, taking in the diverse experiences they all seemed to have had with him, her emerald eyes watching as he took long drinks from his tankard. Slowly, her hand strayed down her thin, alabaster neck to the obsidian, velvet choker, her tapered fingers playing with tiny Celtic pendant hanging from the center. Mystification and arrogance surround him as began to look around the bar to be further consumed by the inebriation of his established environment.  
  
"That there be Cap'n Jack Sparrow, there. Ain't a woman in here who hasn't tasted him before," a third girl said, raising one of her dark eyebrows as she glanced over him. She brushed a few stray strands of her strawberry blonde hair from her dark eyes. She followed his body as he moved and she clicked her tongue, shaking her head. She smiled and turned back to her companions, focusing her attention on the shorter, cherry-red haired girl. "The only one who has yet to get him to her bed, Cordelia, would be you."  
  
"That's because I only came to Tortuga within the last four months, Giselle. That and I do not wish to make a name for myself with all the men who come to shore with lust in the loins. I do what I must to get by," the woman replied, smoothing out the ruffled skirts of her navy dress. She forced a smile as some of the patrons passed by, staggering from the bar with their tankards half full with ale. Giselle used this moment to adjust the lining of her corset, of which the men took great notice of, their eyes coming alive with newfound desire.  
  
Her efforts had not been in vain as a man with thinning gray haired pirate managed to reel himself over the quartet, wrapping his arm around her waist. He pressed closer to Giselle, running his free hand down her neck to the top of her dress. Cordelia turned her head from the two, the smell of liquor and alcohol overpowering her senses and rolling off of him like the high tides flowing over the ports. "'Ello, po-poppet. You l-look beau'iful 'his evening.' Fancy takin' a lit'l pr-promenade with me, love?"  
  
Giselle gave her best smile and pressed her body against the man's chest, letting her cleavage come just under his neck. As expected from his sex, his eyes traveled down and he grunted in what sounded like approval of her actions, taking a final drink from his mug as he sat it down on the table in front of Cordelia. Wrapping her arm around his waist, Giselle half led, half followed the man out of the bar, casting a wily glance to her friends as she disappeared into the streets.  
  
"Oi, I've got a mind to teach that girl some manners. I might be a whore but me mum at least taught me some respect for myself growin' up an' all," the taller redhead said, taking over Giselle's seat. She shook her head and looked to the Captain, who was now reliving his latest excursion to those that had not be knocked unconscious during the brawl. "'E's always been quite the one to brag, Jack Sparrow, 'e 'as. Never could keep 'is bloody trap shut."  
  
"Hai, but he keep quiet when it really matter, Scarlet. We can't have men doing all screaming during night," the fourth girl replied. Cordelia nodded and smiled, looking to the young Asian girl, who was no older than 17. She was definitely one of the more attractive women that Tortuga had seen, with long raven black hair that flowed down past her hips and dark, piercing eyes that told of many stories and triumphs.  
  
"Well, regardless of what his history is, Yun Li, I will not let him slip through my grasp. It will be like the breaking of a wild horse...consider it a personal triumph, if you will," Cordelia said, turning her attention back to the Captain. He truly was an amazing creature with his dark eyes and coffee brown hair with its various dreadlocks. Four strands of his hair were encompassed with an assortment of beads, while a fifth strand was looped through a thin, ivory bone. His beard was separated into two thin braids about two inches in length, with beads bringing them to an end. And there was no exception to his clothes for they were just as eccentric as he was. He wore a simple, long sleeved beige shirt under a cerulean vest that he tucked into his black pants. Around his waist was a white and salmon colored sash to which he had wrapped his thick belt around to carry his sword, pistol and compass.  
  
Yes, indeed he was astonishing in every aspect of his demanding presence and Cordelia could not help but find herself drawn to his aura. Slowly she rose from her seat and crossed the room, casually moving closer to the Captain. Passing a mirror, she could not help but assure herself that she was presentable and damn near irresistible. Her hair was pulled back behind her head, cascading down and over her shoulders in gentle curls, framing her face. She had to admit she wasn't the most beautiful woman to cross the face of the Earth, but she wasn't a bad sight to take in either. Enough that the dear drunken Jack Sparrow might be drawn to her for a night of comfort and warmth.  
  
Cordelia walked behind the bar, standing behind him. She listened to his story, amused at how far fetched it seemed. He spoke of turning into one of the undead and fighting what had been his mutinous first mate, Barbossa. "He didn't even notice that Wi-...I had lifted the curse when I shot 'im. Then, of course, the Royal Navy was lookin' for me and I returned the governor's daughter, more or less...unscathed," he said, raising a dark brow. Those listening erupted into loud laughter and gave hearty slaps on his back as they imagined Jack bedding the illustrious daughter of a governor.  
  
"But, the lass had fallen hard for me and I couldn't have her pinnin' for me so I regrettably had to tell her that it wouldn't have worked out between us. Well, me 'earties, her father wasn't too pleased and ordered to have me dance with Jack Ketch. And I went along willingly, right up 'til I meet up with ol' Jack 'imself. I even let them put the noose 'round me neck and at the very second before they pulled the lever, I hoisted me self up with the noose, slipped me neck from its grasp and fought off half the Royal Navy of Port Royal. I kissed the governor's daughter one last time before makin' me escape onto the Black Pearl. And they'll always remember that as the day they almost hung Captain Jack Sparrow," he finished, emptying the last of his rum and slamming the mug onto the bar.  
  
The men and women listened whistled and applauded in approval, as most of them detested any levels of authority with a heavy passion. Jack smiled and turned to order another drink, expecting to see the usual bartender only to be met with bright jade eyes and a healthy bustline. His eyes followed the black lace of her dress up the smooth curves of her collarbone, to the black choker around her slender neck, carefully observing the three pointed Celtic knot. "An Irish lass, I take it?"  
  
"Aye, that I am. That was quite a story you told Captain Sparrow. I'm quite amazed by your...feats," Cordelia replied, leaning over the bar and showing as much of her assets as her corset would allow. He leaned closer to her and smiled, flashing a pair of golden teeth on the bottom of his jaw.  
  
"How 'bout another drink, love? And what might they call you 'round these shores?"  
  
She gently ran her fingers over his hand to take the mug from him, letting them linger slightly on his own before slowly pulling the mug from his grasp. She pulled a dark rum from the counter, filling the mug to the rim with the rich liquor. Cordelia started to hand the tankard to him but brought it to her lips when he reached to take it from her. Casually, she lowered the mug from her mouth and licked the excess from her ruby lips, pushing the mug towards Jack. "Cordelia. Enjoy your rum, Captain Sparrow, I know I did," she said, turning from him.  
  
He watched as she went from behind the bar, the skirts of her azure dress brushing against the dirty floor beneath her. He took note of the slit in the side of the dress, running up her leg and ending just below her hip. Around her thigh was a black garter, lined with red lace. For a woman of her stature, she certainly has exquisite taste and he pondered what a touch of the Emerald Isles would be like.  
  
He snapped from his daze and whirled around in the stool, looking for barmaid who had just served him. Jack stood from his seat and walked past the group of men, still discussing the story he has told. He looked to his right to find Scarlet and Yun Li sitting at a table and cringed, quickly turning around. "It's too late, Sparrow. I've already seen you here," Scarlet said, running her finger over the brim of her mug.  
  
Jack hesitantly turned back around to face the fiery redhead, hoping that this greeting would be slightly better than their last. "'Ello Scarlet, love. You're not going to hit me, aye?" His hand strayed up to his left cheek and even though it had been a year, it was like he could still feel the stinging pain in his cheek from her hit.  
  
"Of course not, dearie. I'm the type to forgive and forget, but Yun Li 'ere missed out on your return last time and I'm sure she 'as a few words to exchange with you," she replied, leaning back in her chair to take the attention from her gaze to her breasts. Yun Li moved towards Jack and he braced himself for the inevitable, putting his mug on the table to free his hand. He remembered Yun Li as being very aggressive and very strong and he didn't doubt that this was probably going to be more painful that Anamaria's slap.  
  
He didn't even see her move but it felt the heat rising in his cheek as he staggered back, catching himself on a chair behind him. She was hovering over him, her tan finger inches from his face as she started to yell at him in a language he did not recognize. "Damashiai wa hiretsukan! Baka wa Ketsu! Kutabacchimae!" Jack watched as she stormed off, her dark hair bouncing behind her as she ran up the stairs and vanished into one the rooms with a reverberating slam of the door.  
  
Jack rubbed his jaw and took up his tankard once more, taking a heavy drink from the rum. He once again took up searching the small tavern for any sign of Cordelia, who had intrigued him quite a bit. Besides, she was certainly new bait around Tortuga and the only one whose kiss he had yet to taste. Scarlet watched and shook her head, allowing a soft chuckle to escape her brightly painted lips. "I know who 'tis that has you so en'wined, Jack Sparrow. You won't find 'er lingerin' 'bout 'ere. She plays games, that dove does," she said, motioning to the world outside of the Faithful Bride.  
  
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AN: Hey guys! I couldn't restrain myself any longer! I had to write a POTC fic so here it is. Please excuse any misuse of pirate language. I'm going more off of what Jack sounded like in the movie rather than the linguistics of the actual pirates. Do you know how tempting it was to write 'Frankly Scarlet, I don't give a damn'? Lol...I'm sorry if it sucks....I'm still refining my style.  
  
For the record, Scarlet has a heavy British accent, Yun Li is Japanese, and Giselle and Cordelia don't really have accents that are reflected in certain words and letters. Cordelia is Irish and has an Irish accent but I'm not exactly sure what they have trouble pronouncing so if you can help, that'd be great. Scarlet and Giselle I really don't care about, I just figured that they should make an appearance since they were in the movie. Anyways, please R/R and let me know what you think! Hopefully, I will get more for this later but I got final exams coming up soon and yeah...I hate finals....college sucks.  
  
Translation Notes: Damashiai wa hiretsukan! - Cheating Bastard! Baka wa Ketsu! - Stupid Ass (or Asshole!) Kutabacchimae! - Frell you! (If you watch Farscape, you know what frell means. For those who don't...it's phuck.) 


End file.
